Tandoori chicken or Murgh Makhni is one of the most popular Indian dishes, which is

recognised and loved all over the world. The velvety cashewnut and tomato gravy topped with
butter and cream along with chargrilled chicken make it a lip-smacking and delicious dish. It can
usually be paired with roomali roti or naan. Everyone has a different take on this dish and you
will find different versions of it.

History
The history of butter chicken goes back to the ancient days where it belonged to north east
frontier cuisine. It was introduced to us by Kundan Lal Gujral from the restaurant Moti Mahal in
Delhi.

● Preparation Time: 30-35 min

● Cook Time: 1hr
● Serves: 4
● Taste: Mild

Ingredients:
● Basic Marination
● Chicken without skin (boneless) - 400gms
● Salt -to taste
● Ginger Garlic Paste - 30gms
● Lemon - 20ml
● Degi Chilli Powder - 40gms
● Turmeric -10gms

For Marination:
● Hung curd - 150gms
● Mustard Oil - 20ml
● Degi Chilli Powder - 20gms
● Garam Masala Powder -20gms
● Salt -to taste

For Makhni Gravy:

● Tomato - 350gms
● Cashewnut - 150gms
● Charmagaz - 30gms
● Salted butter -100gms
● Hing - 4gms
● Bayleaf - 2no
● Cinnamon- 1no
● Cloves- 2gms
● Black peppercorn - 2gms
● Salt - 6gms
● Amul cream -80gms
 ● Kasturi methi -4gms
● Degi Mirch - 75gms
● Honey -40gms
● Khoya dhap -100gms
● Ginger -10gms
● Garlic -10gms

Method of Making

1. Marinate the boneless chicken without skin overnight with basic marination and keep it
in the refrigerator.
2. Now take the chicken out of the refrigerator and marinate it with a second marination
and rest it for 4 hours.
3. Now cook the tomatoes on a slow flame and then puree them. Now pass through the
strainer to separate the seeds and skin.
4. Cook the cashewnut, charmagaz and khoya dhap in butter until golden brown. Now
make a fine paste in the blender.
5. Blend the tomatoes and cashew-mawa paste and let the gravy simmer on slow flame.
6. Add the masala potli, degi chili powder, Amul cream, and butter to the gravy. Cook the
gravy for 3 to 4 hours and ensure that it is mixed timely.
7. Skew the marinated chicken on a skewer and cook in tandoor/oven on the stovetop for
15 - 20 minutes.
8. Now take a pan and add butter to it. Now pour the velvety makhani gravy into the pan
and add degi chili powder, salt and sugar.
9. Cook until the gravy leaves the pan. Add the chargrilled chicken pieces to the gravy and
let it simmer.
10. Add the garam masala and Kasuri methi and mix well.
11. Your tandoori butter chicken is ready. Garnish with cream and butter.
12. Serve with hot roomali roti or naan.

P.S: Preferably, try using country-style chicken for the Tandoori Butter Chicken, and you can
make the Makhni gravy a day prior if you feel the recipe is elaborate.